After watching the film, “I Am Not Your Negro,” I looked further into Raoul Pecks’ works and came across his most recent mini-series, “Exterminate All the Brutes.” Released in 2021, this 4 part documentary dives into the topics of colonization, genocide, white supremacy and imperialism. To be more specific, Peck focuses on unfolding the exploitative and genocidal nature of European colonialism from America to Africa. He also expresses how this took effect into present day society. Furthermore, he analyzes other significant historical events, such as the transatlantic slave trade and the Holocaust, to demonstrate how systemic oppression and violence has maintained itself for over centuries. In other words, he still goes down this historical timeline to figure out the root of racism and how it's being used. Additionally, the series is based on the works of three authors: Sven Lingqvist’s Exterminate All the Brutes, Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz’s An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States, and Michel Rolph Trouillot’s Silencing the Past. Lingqvist’s piece is directly linked because it thoroughly investigates the origins of genocide and Europe’s past with Africa. Not to mention that it also draws upon the reference to the title, considering Lingvist took it from a line within Joseph Conrads, Heart of Darkness, to elaborate on his ideas. Meanwhile, Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz’s piece reveals the indigenous peoples perspective throughout American history and their refusal against the nation’s growth. Last but not least, Trouillot’s book examines the gaps in our historical narratives, what is documented and what is omitted, what is recalled and what is forgotten, and the lessons these silences teach us about power disparities. Peck even includes several references to popular culture and scientific theories that may contribute to shaping these ideologies. Overall, the series pretty much examines and reinterprets the important lessons learned from the American enslavement and Native American genocide, as well as the ways in which they still affect our lives now.
"Heart of Darkness" and "Exterminate All the Brutes" have a profound thematic link despite having distinct structure. Regarding European colonialism and imperialism, particularly in Africa, they both discuss. They provide examples of the abuse, brutality, and dehumanization inflicted on native Americans. They also discuss the ways in which these ideologies justified the treatment of some racial groups worse than others and the ways in which racial hierarchies were constructed. Both expound on how this effect relates to current hardships by utilizing the past historical significance of the topic. In some way, both Conrad and Peck also personalize within their works.
Compared to the docu-series, the “Heart of Darkness” piece is a novella that consists of Marlow’s character recounting his experience in Africa. Thus, it is essentially a story within another story. “Exterminate All the Brutes” is a visually incorporated work that uses fact and fiction through re-imagined historical scenes to highlight its message. It also provides a much broader and global scope or range surrounding the connection these issues have with past historical events. In addition, Peck uses his own modern perspective to analyze the events as well and break it down. We can see it clearly in the way he narrates and moves from scene to scene within all 4 parts of the series. However, in Conrad's work, we do not get much insight into the other respective perspectives. It only includes one side, which is the colonial one.
